Liverpool Transfer Speculation: Do the Reds Actually Need Juan Manuel Vargas?

With Liverpool reported to have accepted a bid from Fiorentina for Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani the speculation about Juan Manuel Vargas coming the other way will certainly keep afloat for the next few days at least.

Let us analyze whether Liverpool actually do need Vargas in their already packed midfield.

The prime strength of Vargas is his crossing ability. When was the last time Liverpool tried to play with crossing as the main outlet? Fans won’t have to scratch their heads for long as it was last season itself under Kenny Dalglish.

We all know how that turned out. Stewart Downing was producing crosses, but they rarely found a teammate. Charlie Adam seemed to have accompanied a curse from Blackpool while making his transfer and could not match his delivery from the previous season even by a quarter of the quality.

Andy Carroll found it hard to find his feet let alone the ball launched towards him in hope every 200 seconds. The thing is, Dalglish’s plan could have worked but it had many flaws in terms of execution. There were too many pieces of the jigsaw that did not fit or were not made to on the days of judgment or match-days.

So do Liverpool find a way to accommodate Vargas? Vargas should be brought in only if Rodgers wants to give space to Andy Carroll in his plans. Even if Rodgers does decide to keep Carroll it will be predominantly for plan B, I am assuming.

To have two players in your squad exclusively for plan B is a bit of a luxury I am not sure the Reds would want to afford at the moment. If Carroll will not play, the gaffer might as well play Downing who, despite his desperate crosses, will provide much needed interplay options and opportunities in the final third that Vargas will not.

Liverpool are not PSG or Chelsea for that matter by any sense of the imagination. They should be concentrating on plan A rather than B at the moment. There are too many ifs and buts if Rodgers is indeed courting Vargas. Depending on whether you are an optimist or pessimist you will see the scenario as confusing or laden with options.

Rodgers is certainly a positive person and perhaps he wants as many options as possible. Vargas is certainly a versatile player who can play in left midfield or at left-back. Liverpool do need someone in the left-back position to provide competition to Jose Enrique and his dwindling form. However, I am not sure that player should be Vargas.

The Peruvian is not defensively sound. In fact, I would take Enrique’s defensive side of the game over Vargas’ any day of the year. This means that if Rodgers is indeed looking for a full-back that defends rather than attacks, he would be better off going for someone else or maybe even promoting Jack Robinson to having more chances with the first team.

Vargas’ acquisition, if at all, will prove to be a liability at best. He is 28 and not getting any younger. He will also come from a different league, specifically one that has recently given Liverpool some nightmares in terms of transfers.

The only reason that Rodgers is going for him (if it is true) is if Aquilani—with no potential suitors offering the money that Liverpool want—is desperate to go back to his homeland while the Peruvian has no problem with coming to Anfield.

It's too bad that Stevan Jovetic will not be made a part of a deal like this. Anyway, Liverpool should concentrate more on bringing in another striker rather than anyone just to offload their existing burdens.